The Snap: Has time come for CFL to change its playoff format?

REGINA – At least the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, arguably, didn’t qualify for the Canadian Football League playoffs through the back door.

The Ticats’ overtime victory at Ottawa Friday night means Hamilton and the Redblacks will be the only two teams from the East Division to advance to post-season play. The Alouettes, for the second consecutive season, along with the Toronto Argonauts will be on the outside looking in.

Toronto, coincidentally, is the site of this year’s Grey Cup – although it’s proving to be a hard sell at BMO Field. But that’s a story for another day.

The Ticats could have made the playoffs with simply an overtime tie on Friday – provided the Argos lost later that night at Calgary, which they did, and combined with a Montreal loss at Saskatchewan Saturday afternoon (4 p.m., TSN, RDS, CJAD Radio-800). And that potential scenario would have made those who follow the Roughriders sick, not to mention some of their players.

Veteran receiver Rob Bagg, now in his ninth season, took the Twitter this week suggesting it was time for the league to alter its playoff format – the six teams with the best records qualifying. The Riders, 5-10, are on a four-game winning streak but have already been eliminated from playoff contention although they, potentially, could finish with more victories than the second-place team in the East Division.

The Redblacks (7-8-1) have a one-point lead over the Ticats (7-9) with two regular-season games remaining.

“I think you have to acknowledge the fact that one division has five teams. That’s all I’m saying,” Bagg stated. “The rules are the rules and I don’t expect anything to change. But it seems, in a league with only nine teams, that the best teams should make the playoffs.

“We shot oursleves in the foot enough early in the season that we’ve created this problem and put ourselves in this hole.”

The Riders started the season with three consecutive defeats before becoming the first team to defeat Ottawa. But that was followed by a seven-game losing streak which started with a 41-3 evisceration by the Als at Molson Stadium. That pretty much sank Saskatchewan’s season. But since then, they’ve gone on a four-game winning streak and are coming off a two-game swing through Ontario in which the edged the Redblacks in overtime before rolling over Toronto.

“It sucks,” Bagg said. “When the season started there were five teams in the West. We knew that. We knew some of those divisional games against Edmonton and Winnipeg were crucial – and we didn’t get it done. At the end of the day we can only blame ourselves.

“Especially as an older player, knowing you don’t have as many playoff runs left, it hurts to see such a talented team not get that opportunity.”

The Riders, like Montreal, missed the playoffs last season. But while the Als will be hard-pressed to match their 2015 record of 6-12, Saskatchewan already has improved on last season, when it went 3-15.

Not long after Edmonton’s Grey Cup victory, the Riders lured Chris Jones away to become their general manager and head coach.

The Riders – and by extension Jones – have established a league record this season, as 91 players have dressed for at least one game, along with a record 99 spending time on the active roster or injured list. Saskatchewan has 20 players on the six-game injured list.

“We’re not in the playoffs and it makes me sick to my stomach,” Jones said earlier this week.

Prior to the game against Montreal, Jones admitted the Riders have nobody to blame but themselves – adding he won’t hold his breath in anticipation of a change to the playoff format.

“Who goes to the playoffs? If we’d have done our job earlier in the season, we’d be there,” he said. “Unfortunately, we didn’t do enough to win those games early. We were still trying to figure it out. You have to hand it to the kids – we’ve had no issues in our locker room. When you lose seven in a row, especially when you lose seven close games … a lot of times you run into character problems. They can kind of pop up. Our staff and players have done an outstanding job keeping the focus.”

Although starting quarterback Darian Durant is a potential free agent, optimism reigns in these parts as the Riders prepare to move into a new Mosaic Stadium in 2017. The franchise has an average age of 25, Jones said, many of whom would appear to have tremendous potential. The year-long audition process he conducted appears to be paying dividends.

And Jones realizes his work isn’t complete. Between the end of the season and this year’s championship game, the Riders have four free-agent workouts planned.

“They’ll be a year older (next season) and hopefully we’ll make a few less errors,” he said. “Have we turned the corner? That’s yet to be seen. I’m not the person to ask. A lot of other people (in the media) are the ones who decide.” …

Veteran CFL long-snapper Randy Chevrier, who played collegiately at McGill, was signed by Saskatchewan this week and activated for Saturday’s game. The 40-year-old, who has been out of football this season, replaces the injured Dan McDonald.

Chevrier has played 14 seasons, the majority with Calgary, and still calls the Alberta city home. Indeed, he was contacted by the Als last weekend when Martin Bédard suffered an injury. But Montreal eventually signed Chad Bushley.

Bédard has now been placed on the six-game injured list.

Chevrier purposely never signed and filed retirement papers, figuring there was no reason for a long-snapper to do so.

“I was never released. I was told I’d be a free agent. I wasn’t going to sign the papers because it doesn’t really do anything for me,” said Chevrier, a St. Leonard native. “I still had the thirst to compete and thought this day might come.

“The Riders might be out of the playoffs, but someone’s going to turn the lights on, someone’s going to show up to sell beer and popcorn. A bunch of people will sit there and cheer. That’s enough reason to compete. I’m a fierce competitor. If I have the chance to come out and prove what I can do, this is an opportunity to do it again.” …

And finally, Als’ defensive-back Greg Henderson, who had his left foot in a walking boot following last week’s game at Calgary, has been placed on the one-game injured list. He was replaced against Saskatchewan by Tyree Hollins.

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